Holiday
by Somerandomuser
Summary: NarutoXHinata. This is anything but a holiday. Slightly AU: It's been four years since Naruto and Jiraiya sat out for training and searching for Sasuke. Sasuke is believed dead, Jiraiya has dissappeared, and Naruto has been resisting returning to Konoha.
1. Chapter 1

_Hear the sound of the falling rain  
Coming down like an Armageddon flame (Hey!)  
The shame  
The ones who died without a name_

_Author's note: This is not really AU except for the fact that in this story, only Hinata, Sakura and Neji become Chuunin during Naruto's stay away from Konoha. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto._

* * *

The satin covers were appealing to her even now, as she stood in the doorway of her bedroom. She'd just returned from the mission and would need to report to Tsunade-sama first though. Hyuuga Hinata walked through the hallway, aiming toward the exit of her house when something caught her eye in the kitchen. There, lying on the ground was a stack of calendars. Three… three calendars, all full, every day marked out.

And still she waited.

* * *

"Hinata-san. I'm afraid I have a new mission for you already." Hinata couldn't help but show a little wariness when the fifth Hokage said this.

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"As I'm sure you know; Uzamaki Naruto was to be gone three years, training. Well, I'm sure you also know we are now half-way into the fourth year, and neither he nor Jaraiya have reported in. However, Naruto has been spotted, in Tanzaku City, alone. I have no choice but to officially declare him a missing-nin now. Your job is to find him and bring him back. Usually I'd leave it up to the Nin-hunters, but if he were angry, he could destroy anyone of them, I fear. You, however, I doubt he would. That is your mission, dismissed."

Hinata paused and took a breath. She'd not gotten a chance to get a word in edge wise and she didn't understand. "Hokage-sama, why do you seem so worried?"

"Because, Hinata-san, this is your first S-rank mission, and you're merely a Chuunin." Hinata's pale eyes widened considerably. Hunting down Naruto, how was that an S- rank mission? "Though he may still just be a Genin, I know you visited Shino in the hospital when he came back from that secret mission. The broken arms, they came from Naruto. The head injury, Naruto. Bring him back, before we have to send Nin-hunters to finish him… I don't want to do that, Hinata-san." Hinata bowed deeply.

"Hai Hokage-sama. I'll do my best."

"Wait, Hinata, when you reach the edge of Konoha I'm going to send two Genin, one of the rookies who normally would be training with their sensei and Rock Lee. You are the group leader." Hinata opened her mouth to protest but didn't get the chance. "You may not see the need, but I do. Take care."

She left the office then and moved toward the edge of town. It was with a heavy heart that she passed the Ichiraku Ramen shop. Her first stop was at the weapons shop, where she bought several new kunai two blank scrolls and ink, and three shuriken. These she put into a backpack on her back to add to the kunai and smoke bombs in the small pack at her waist.

She heard a noise and turned. Nothing was behind her. This unnerved her a bit until she turned right back around and came face to face with a familiar looking boy. In her usual shy voice, she said; "Konohamaru-san, how are you?"

The boy was taller and had lost most of the baby fat. He wore an orange shirt with the Konoha symbol in black on it, no longer the yellow one. Over this shirt he wore a familiar looking orange coat, it reminded her so much of Naruto's that she had no doubt he had raided the boy's closet for it. While Naruto had been gone, so much had changed. Konohamaru had turned ten, and she, fifteen, and Naruto had as well. Something else was new about the boy though. He wore a forehead protector. "I graduated last week, Hinata-san! The fifth sent someone to get me from my training grounds, but Surake-sensei canceled training today so I was at Ichiraku. They told me you would fill me in on our mission, leader."

"As soon as Lee-san arrives," Hinata said, quietly. She was incredibly uneasy. Of course she now knew that Naruto was incredibly dangerous and refusing to return to Konoha, but she didn't know why. Of course she knew he had been after Sasuke in addition to his training but all information pointed to Sasuke dying a year ago.

_The Fifth Hokage was pacing back and forth about the room. Neji, Chouji, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, TenTen, and Lee stood with Hinata in front of her desk. "I was out of Konoha last night. I'm not sure if any of you know this. Someone spotted Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke Uchiha not far away. I engaged in a battle with them, and I'm sorry to say, in the process of the battle Sasuke Uchiha fell to his death off of a rather high cliff. Kabuto stole his body." Sakura collapsed to her knees. Lee and Shikamaru were immediately at the bubblegum-pink haired girl's side and helped her to her feet. Hinata could see at that point in time that Sakura either could not, or had no desire to function. She'd seemed to shut down almost immediately, unconscious. After Sakura's fainting spell, the Hokage dismissed them, bidding them to leave Sakura on the couch in the corner of the room. _

Konoha's beautiful green beast (as he called himself) appeared around the corner after a bit of time, pulling his left arm through his green suit. His eyes were red and he seemed to be yawning as if he just woke.

"Gomen, Hinata-san. I was, showering when they came looking for me." Indeed his hair was still wet. "Glad you made it back, leader. Konnichiwa, Konohamaru-kun." The Genin bowed to each other.

"Now, what are we doing, Hinata-san."

Hinata looked down. She didn't want to see the shock, the hurt, and maybe the betrayal that would flash upon Konohamaru's face when she told him they had to hunt down his idol, or the worry that would secure itself upon Rock Lee's face when he heard it. "Naruto-kun has become an official Missing-nin, and we have to force him to come back or Tsunade-sama will have to send ANBU after him. The last person she sent came back with two broken arms. We have to be careful. This will be our first S-rank mission." Konohamaru grunted; it was a sound of the worst pain imaginable, the pain of betrayal.

Lee remained silent.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hear the dogs howling out of key  
To a hymn called "Faith and Misery" (Hey!)  
And bleed, the company lost the war today_

_Author's note: So here it goes, my last chapter was so… weird… and horrible. I apologize. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto._

_

* * *

_

"I thought Tanzaku City was supposed to be big and full of life," Konohamaru asked, looking around at the empty streets. The buildings were boarded up, that is, the ones that were still standing. Parts of the street they stood on were obscured by rubble, and even bodies. The oddest thing though, was a lone, tall tower, standing directly in the middle of the road.

The silence was suddenly disrupted by the sound of a dog yelping. Hinata turned, her hands finding a kunai before she registered the sight before her. A door had just flown open and a man came running out of it, he looked frazzled and all his clothing was grey and ragged. He didn't really pay attention to the three ninja, and instead leapt directly behind them and made a run toward the gates of the town. Though the four of them seemed to be the only ones around at the time a voice that belonged to none of them rang out.

"Halt!" The ragged looking man only began to scream, running faster toward the gate. Suddenly the source of the voice was revealed. "_AFTER HIM!"_ It was coming from the tower. The tops of the broken down buildings and even the whole ones were suddenly alive. Konohamaru and Lee grabbed hold of her and threw all three of them to the ground as a cannonade of kunai began to rain down from the sky.

They rose in unison and turned away from the tower toward the gates. The man had been almost completely destroyed by kunai; he was no longer discernible as the man from before. Konohamaru stumbled two or three steps to the left, then bent over and emptied his stomach. "They gave you training in controlling your emotions at the Academy didn't they," Lee asked harshly. Hinata had to agree, though it was his first mission and possibly the first death he'd seen, it was an overreaction.

"Yeah, but they didn't give us training in not throwing up when someone drives their elbow in your stomach just right." Hinata blushed.

"Gomen nasai."

"Hinata-san, Konohamaru-kun, this can wait." Lee pointed upward, reminding his comrades they were surrounded.

"Konoha Shinobi scum!" A kunai sailed from the tower which Konohamaru dodged.

"Baka," exclaimed another voice from the tower, and Lee held his hands up. "We'll bring them to the boss; he'll want to see this."

"You're not bringing us anywhere," exclaimed Konohamaru. This reminded Hinata so much of Naruto that she felt her stomach flip.

"Konohamaru-kun please be quiet."

"Shut up! Like hell I'll be quiet! If you want to take us you'll take us by force!" A kunai came once more but this time no one dodged it; an angry, fired up Konohamaru attempted to knock it away with a kunai of his own, and instead was struck on the shoulder, the jacket and shirt turning red around the wound with the blood that leaked slowly down.

"Alright, that's enough of wasting time." This was a brand new voice, it was rough, and almost like the caw of a crow. Konohamaru looked straight up, trying to who stood at the top of it, but saw nothing still.

"Hinata-san… could you-"

"No need." Hinata pointed upward and Lee followed the finger to the top of the tower where a form had just become visible. Decked out in pure black was a creature with light lavender skin. Hair obscured its face entirely and two great wings extended from the back.

This creature leapt from the top of the tower, and somewhere during its descent it turned the fall into a fly, now aiming straight for Konohamaru, a clawed hand extending. Lee and Hinata both readied a kunai of their own and backed up toward the rookie Genin.

There was a piercing scream, and even the clawed figure stopped. The four on the ground and the creature in the air turned and looked toward the source. Though they couldn't see too well, Rock Lee and Konohamaru spotted a figure atop a building, pulling two other figures into the air, their heads in his hands. Hinata saw all of this a lot better, thanks to the Byakuugan. Konohamaru was quick enough to catch her as she fell to her knees.

Once more an odd, hateful voice rang out. "Allow me to guide you to hell!" Rock Lee turned his head as the new form crushed either skull with his bare hands. The voice, it was familiar to all of the Konoha shinobi there. Said dark form leapt from the roof, unchallenged by the many others around it, and made its way toward them. The closer it came, the more and more Hinata had to admit she recognized it. Eventually, even Konohamaru could deny it no longer.

"Naruto-niisan!"

Uzamaki Naruto had definitely changed. Everything about him was sharper, his eyes, his face, his nose, and even his hands were clawed. This added a bit of a dramatic effect as the blood of his last victims still dripped down them. His hair now went down to his shoulders in a matted, dirty mess. "Naruto-kun," she asked softly, "Naruto-kun, is that you?"

Naruto ignored her even when he stood merely three steps away from them and instead turned his head up toward the creature in the sky. Hinata, who had completely forgotten about it, was confused at the sneer that curled its lips, the only part of its face visible beneath its hair. She turned back to Naruto who was sneering equally darkly. "Hinata, Konohamaru, Lee, get out of here now, or you will die."

Hinata looked up, shocked by the sting in his voice, no matter how angry he was, Naruto had never spoken to her like that. "Don't you get it? That is-"

The creature cut him off, "Uchiha Sasuke."


	3. Chapter 3

_I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies  
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives  
On holiday_

_Author's note: Getting better, I think, I'll need some time on this chapter, have fun, R+R!_

_Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!_

-

"Uchiha Sasuke," agreed Naruto, the sneer in his lips becoming more prominent. His movements were so quick that Konohamaru missed them, though Hinata and Lee, very prominent in speed themselves, easily saw Naruto leap from the ground and drive a punch toward Sasuke. The creature-like version of Sasuke shifted through the air, and Naruto missed, landing on all fours like a beast. The next attack was even quicker, and this time it caught the laughing boy square in the back. As the two fell to the ground, Hinata felt all strength drain from her. They were going at it like wild beasts. No longer were they ninjas engaged in the rivalry she knew they had, but they were beasts, Naruto clawed, bit, punched, and kicked like a rabid animal, while Sasuke did the same.

Finally they separated and Naruto backed away, he began to run through a set of hand seals, then called out, "Henge no Jutsu!" A cloud of dust surrounded the fifteen year old and when it cleared, in his place stood a large, furry animal. A fox, a nine-tailed fox. It let out an unimaginably loud roar and plunged forward, swiping its large paw outward. This destroyed the tower in front of them, though Sasuke dodged. Naruto lunged downward opening his great jaws. Sasuke rolled backwards as the jaws snapped in the same place he had been only moments ago. Naruto's voice sounded, amplified, through the vocal cords of the large, multi-tailed fox. "I will tear you limb from limb, and personally guide you to hell!"

At first, when she looked up, Hinata thought a rainstorm had begun, but soon realized, that instead of raindrops, these were needles, millions of them flying through the air at them and Naruto. A shadow suddenly engulfed the three shinobi as Naruto's nine tails began to surround them, shielding them from the downfall that kept coming. As soon as the rain stopped, Naruto's tails were withdrawn and lashed out in any direction at the many villains that had attacked them with such an animalistic growl Hinata found it hard to believe it was still Naruto.

He leapt into the air in pursuit of Sasuke who had just taken to the air. She could hear jaws snapping multiple times before a sudden crash accompanied Naruto's return to Earth. A fight of epic proportions broke out, and with it broke nearly every building near them, and still the gigantic fox, weighed down by its own size, couldn't strike Uchiha Sasuke.

"Naruto-Niisan! Naruto-Niisan!" Konohamaru had just run forward and stood now in front of Naruto.

"Naruto-Niisan! Please calm down, you're destroying Tanzaku! Naruto-Niisan, please, transform back!" The Nine-tailed fox's piercing red eyes landed on Konohamaru. The paw rose as if to knock him out of the way, but then the great beast shook his head and the eyes became the familiar dark blue. A puff of dust surrounded him, and Naruto returned to his own regular form. "Naruto-Niisan… are you alright?"

Naruto's head immediately shot around until his gaze landed on Sasuke. The air was suddenly filled with the chirping of a thousand birds, as the glare of the Chidori shone from Sasuke's hand. Naruto thrust his right hand outward, palm up, and at first Hinata was sure he would use the Rasengan. However, something else began to happen. A ball of energy formed in the middle of his palm and grew. The chakra within began to rotate much as the Rasengan worked, but then it flattened in on itself and turned a dark purple. Naruto grasped the disk of chakra, and so quick that even Hinata had trouble seeing it, launched it at Sasuke.

The creature-ish boy was not quick enough. At the last second as the disk came near, it seemed he would go unscathed, leaning backward so that it passed in front of his face, but then the disk bent in the middle, forming back into a ball of energy. Sasuke through himself backwards, but was still caught in the chest. Unlike the Rasengan which left its victims spinning through the air, this ball of chakra was either so still, or spinning so quickly, that it merely pushed Sasuke back, back into the rubble of the tower, nearly impaling him upon a jagged bit of metal from one of the legs of it.

From beneath the rubble came a light that grew until the whole area was bathed in lavender. In the confusion that followed, Hinata felt herself grabbed around the waist and hoisted into the air. "LEE, GRAB KONOHAMARU AND RUN!"

When the glare subsided she saw they were out of town in a thick forest of sorts, Naruto must have been going very quickly. The usual shyness caused by being close to, much less touched by, Naruto was overridden by her fear and confusion of the incidents that had just occurred. She was set on her feet rather unceremoniously and a moment later, Konohamaru and Lee arrived. "Y-you're fast, Naruto-Niisan," Konohamaru said, breathing deeply.

"Urusai," exclaimed Naruto angrily. "What's going on here?"

"We're on an S-rank mission," Hinata said.

"What type of mission, and why would they send you three on an S-rank mission?"

"The S-rank mission is to return you to Konoha. At the time however, we believed Sasuke to be dead."

Naruto threw back his head and laughed deeply, a darker laugh than any there thought possible. "I create a couple Kage Bunshins, did a little transforming and danced a little dance for Granny Tsunade and now the village believes Sasuke is dead."

Hinata drew back in shock, "There's no way, she said she fought Orochimaru!"

"That was me, I've been training."

Naruto was grinning darkly as he reached over and with one arm, tore a low hanging limb from a tree. With a mighty crash said large limb fell. "I've been training," he repeated.

"Naruto-Niisan?" Naruto turned to Konohamaru who stood near Lee, look rather shy, shyer than any self-respecting Ninja should look.

"And you," Naruto's face softened considerably. "Congratulations on becoming a Ninja, Konohamaru-kun." Konohamaru smiled.

"Domo Arigatou, niisan, but… the thing with the fox… wh-what was that?" Naruto looked down and away, his face suddenly graver than ever. Hinata couldn't believe this dark boy was her Naruto-kun, how could anything change anyone so much.

Naruto remained silent for a few moments, as he used his chakra surrounded hand to cut the fallen limb into pieces and then sat it on fire with more of the same, before finally sighing. "Well, let me tell you all something. The Fourth Hokage died in a battle with the Kyuubi, years ago, didn't he?"

The three nodded.

"Fifteen years ago."

Hinata's eyes widened once more. "You mean-"

"The same technique used by the Third Hokage which killed him and sealed a bit of Orochimaru's soul in his dead body, was used by the Fourth Hokage in a sacrifice to seal the soul of the Kyuubi inside the body of an orphaned baby, who would soon become the Number one loudest, show-offy ninja in the village of Konoha, Uzamaki Naruto." Naruto scoffed and sat by the fire gazing into its depths. "I wanted to really take it to him this time, so I used Henge no Jutsu. You might be wondering where my sudden increase in chakra had come from back then, it was from telling the fox that if it wanted to live it would begin supplying me. Even now Kyuubi isn't that happy about it, are you, you damn fox you." The sneer returned to his lips. "Earlier, when I transformed, Kyuubi had been having so much fun, I almost couldn't go back. Thank you, Konohamaru-kun."

"Come back with us, Naruto-niisan. Please?"

"No, and how could you ask me that when you just saw proof that Sasuke is alive? I made a promise to Sakura. I'd bring him back. I'll be unable to face her if I ever return without him, even if it is in a body bag."


End file.
